Jason & Anne Bing

Anne (Huryn) is a 1990 Central Catholic graduate, her husband Jason is a 1992 St. Thomas Aquinas graduate. It was during their college years that the two rivals got to know one another. Anne attended Ohio University and Jason was at James Madison University (JMU), in Virginia. Over the summer, Anne would work at Shady Hollow Country Club where she befriended Doug Kling, becoming part of his friend group. A group that included Jason. That friend group spent lots of time together during their summer months allowing Jason and Anne to get to know one another, as friends. The pair didn't officially begin dating until after Jason graduated from JMU. Jason started law school at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland; Anne was living and teaching in Cleveland. The timing came together and the rest is history, as they say!

Jason proposed in the courtyard of Holy Family Catholic Church in Little Italy in Cleveland, utilizing the help of Anne's kitten Omar to deliver an engagement ring later that evening. They were married on October 19th, 2002 and have three children, Kara (STA, Class of 2023 graduate), Josie (STA, of 2026), and Grant (STA, Class of 2028).  

The couple shared that coming from rival schools brings out some teasing from time to time but in reality, each of them had friends from both Central Catholic and St. Thomas Aquinas. Anne shared that the CCHS/STA rivalry games were always fun. She loves the Fall and cool weather, looking back she can recall "the sounds of the band playing and wandering around the stadium as the game was being played. Now I think of how many times Jason and I passed each other in the crowd, completely unaware that one day we would be married." Jason also has favorite memories, "there are too many to mention, some of them might still get me into trouble with Mr. Vagedas. Overall, it's the memories I made with the best friends that I could have ever had." 

Anne and Jason are deeply committed to Catholic education, not only did they attend Catholic school, all three of their children have attended Catholic schools either at St. Peter Elementary School, St. Michael Elementary School, or St. Thomas Aquinas Middle School and High School. 

They wrote, that "Catholic education is special in so many ways, especially in these present times where God is so frequently being pushed out of people's lives. With a Catholic education, not only do students graduate with a solid education, they leave with a sense of morality and spiritualism. That's because God and our Catholic faith is ever present. We consider it a blessing that our children have always been in Catholic schools where praying is a normal part of the school day, as is going to Mass, spending time in Eucharistic Adoration, or participating in community service projects where they learn to put others before themselves.” 

They expressed the importance of religion classes, which "help deepen student understanding of God and our faith. Consequently all of this equips students with the means to meet the challenges of life head on, hopefully calling upon their Catholic education as a guide, drawing on the strength of knowing that God loves them and is always with them." 

We're not sure anyone could have said it better! Thank you, Anne and Jason for sharing your story with us and reminding each of us what is so special about Catholic education.

#UnitedByMarriage
#AlwaysACrusader 
#AlwaysaKnight

Do you know a couple with one person who attended Central Catholic and one who attended St. Thomas Aquinas? Send them this link, we’d love to share their story.